Manhattan Brewing Company of New York
Founded by British entrepreneurial visionary Richard Wrigley and successful Brooklyn businessman Robert D'Addona, the Manhattan Brewing Company pioneered the brewpub concept on the East Coast in New York City. The first working brewery in the city for many decades, operations started as a large on-premises multi tap brew-pub in 1984. Located in a former Consolidated Edison substation on the corner of Thompson Street and Broome/Watts in SoHo. The international style ales and beers combined with beer cellar style tables and copper kettles were a big hit with New Yorkers; distribution was then expanded, via draft horses and antique dray, into the New York marketplace with medal winning brands Manhattan Amber and Manhattan Gold Lager. The business struggled however, with a large overhead, the raising of the NY drinking age and the Black Monday crash of October 19, 1987. The doors finally closed in 1991.
Former Manhattan brewmaster Garrett Oliver went on to become brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery in 1994.
External links
- New York Beer Nostalgia: the early years of craft beer
- Original article in New York Magazine July 16, 1984
- Follow-up: More Manhattan Brewing Company nostalgia
- Beer History: Manhattan Brewing Company, A Lost Craft Beer Pioneer
- Postings: SoHo Renovation; What's Brewing? NYTimes Published:April 21, 1991
- NEW YORK DAY BY DAY; Burgeoning Brewery NYTimes Published: May 14, 1986
- BEER SCHOOL BOTTLING SUCCESS AT THE BROOKLYN BREWERY see p 10 & 30
- How craft brewing grew on either side of the country
- Upscale beer segment bucking the trend.